DIPLADENIAS — INSECTS. 



325 



Early in the winter lightly shorten the growths, and in February introduce the 

 plants into a temperature 5° to 10° higher, accompanied by more moisture in the atmos- 

 phere. "When fresh growth begins, turn the plants out; remove all soil that is 

 unoccupied by roots, and if the plants are in good health, not otherwise, place them in 

 pots, one or two sizes larger than they were in formerly, as this is the only shift to be 

 given during the season. Elevate the plants on inverted pots, as the young growths 

 fail to flower unless trained near the glass. If exhibition specimens are desired, the 

 young growths must first be trained up strings and over the roof trellis, taking them 

 down and carefully disposing them over a globular trellis after they have commenced 

 flowering freely. In subsequent years the treatment consists of late autumn pruning, 

 removing the old flowering ends and weakly growth, leaving enough young wood to 

 thinly cover a trellis ; resting, re-starting, and re-potting much as advised in the case of 

 the younger plants. It is important to remember that the best possible judgment 

 must be exercised in watering, proceeding with great caution till the soil is well 

 occupied by roots. 



D. boliviensis grows and flowers freely nearly all the year round in moderately large 

 pots, but is more luxuriant, and the flowers are larger and more abundantly produced 

 when the plants are rooting in a small border of peaty soil. Train the growths up 

 pillars and over archways. The choicer kinds, such as amabilis and Brearleyana, also 

 succeed in a narrow raised border, and trained thinly under the roof, allowing the long 

 flowering stems to hang down and display their gorgeous blooms to the best advantage. 

 Treat them, as regards resting and pruning, similarly to pot plants, but D. boliviensis 

 is more of an evergreen, also flowers late in the season, and may be pruned in the 

 spring. 



Insects. — Mealy bug has been responsible for many failures with Dipladenias, this 

 pest having a great partiality for them. If the cleaning is delayed till the young growth 

 has made much progress, it is next to impossible to do it properly, as the leaves are 

 most susceptible of injury from insecticides and rough handling. The plants ought to 

 be thoroughly cleansed while resting, using small but not very stiff brushes for the 

 wood or joints, and a sponge and soft soapy water for the leaves. This will not wholly 

 eradicate the bug, and a close look out must be kept for any that escape, destroying 

 them before they have a chance to form colonies on their own account. 



